English dictionary — definitions & meanings

dispatch

verb

To send something or someone off promptly for a specific purpose.

dispatching

noun

The act or process of sending someone or something to a destination for a particular purpose.

dispel

verb

To make fears, doubts, or false ideas disappear by showing they have no basis.

dispend

verb

To spend or expend.

dispensable

adj

Able to be done without; easily replaced.

dispensary

noun

A place, such as part of a hospital or clinic, where medicine or medical supplies are given out.

dispensation

noun

Official permission to be excused from a rule or obligation that would normally apply.

dispense

verb

To give out or distribute something, especially in measured amounts.

dispenser

noun

A device or container designed to give out a set amount of something, such as soap or tape.

dispensing

noun

The act of measuring out and handing over goods or medicine.

dispersal

noun

The act of scattering people or things over a wide area, or the state of being scattered.

disperse

verb

To scatter or spread out in different directions.

dispersed

adjective

Spread out over an area rather than gathered in one place.

dispersion

noun

The act of scattering things widely, or the state of being spread out over a large area.

dispirit

verb

To lower the morale of; to make despondent; to dishearten.

dispirited

adj

Without energy, gusto or drive, enervated, without the will to accomplish, disheartened.

dispiriting

adj

Lowering the morale of; making despondent or depressive; disheartening.

displace

verb

To force people to leave their home or homeland.

displacement

noun

The forced movement of people from their homes, especially by war, persecution, disaster or development.

display

verb

To show something openly so it can be seen clearly.

displayed

adjective

Put out openly for people to see.

displaying

noun

The act of showing something for others to see.

displease

verb

To annoy or upset someone; to fail to please.

displeased

adjective

Feeling annoyed or unhappy about something.

displeasing

adj

Unattractive, dislikable, objectionable.

displeasure

noun

A feeling of annoyance, dissatisfaction, or disapproval.

displode

verb

To burst with a loud bang; to explode.

displume

verb

To deprive of feathers or plumes.

disport

verb

To amuse oneself divertingly or playfully; in particular, to cavort or gambol.

disposable

adjective

Designed to be thrown away after use rather than cleaned or reused.

disposal

noun

The act of getting rid of something, especially waste.

dispose

verb

To get rid of something (usually with 'of').

disposed

adjective

Inclined or willing to do or feel something.

disposing

noun

The act of arranging, settling, or getting rid of something.

disposition

noun

A person's natural way of feeling, thinking, or behaving; temperament.

dispositive

adj

Intending to, resulting in, or capable of disposition (disposing, disposing of, or settling a matter).

dispossessed

adjective

Having had one's home, land, or property taken away.

dispossession

noun

The act of dispossessing someone of something.

dispraise

verb

To notice with disapprobation or some degree of censure; to disparage, to criticize.

disprobative

adj

Tending to disprove a particular proposition or to persuade someone of the falsity of an allegation.

disproportion

noun

The state of being out of proportion; an abnormal or improper ratio; an imbalance.

disproportionate

adjective

Too large or too small compared to what is normal, fair, or expected.

disprove

verb

To show that a claim, theory, or belief is false.

disproven

adj

Shown to be false.

dispunishable

adj

Without risk of punishment; not punishable.

disputable

adj

Of opinions, propositions or questions, subject to dispute; not settled.

disputation

noun

The act of disputing; a dispute or argument.

dispute

noun

A disagreement or argument between people, often a formal or ongoing one.

disputed

adjective

Not agreed upon; still being argued over or questioned.

disputing

noun

Arguing or debating over something.

disqualify

verb

To officially rule someone ineligible to take part in or win something, often because of a rule violation.

disquiet

noun

Lack of quiet; absence of tranquility in body or mind

disquieting

adj

Causing mental trouble or anguish; upsetting; making uneasy.

disquietude

noun

A state of disquiet, uneasiness, or anxiety.

Disraeli

name

A surname notably borne by Benjamin Disraeli, British prime minister and novelist.

disrecommend

verb

To recommend the opposite or negation of; to advise against.

disregard

verb

To deliberately ignore or pay no attention to something.

disregarded

adjective

Ignored or paid no attention to.

disrelish

noun

A lack of relish: distaste

disremember

verb

To fail to remember; to forget.

disrepair

noun

The state of being in poor condition, in need of repair.

disreputable

adjective

Having a bad reputation; not respectable or trustworthy.

disrepute

noun

Loss or want of reputation; ill character.

disrespect

noun

A lack of respect or courtesy shown toward someone or something.

disrespectful

adjective

Showing a lack of respect; rude or discourteous.

disrobe

verb

To take off one's clothes, or to remove clothing from someone else.

disrupt

verb

To throw a process, system, or situation into confusion by interrupting its normal flow.

disrupted

verb

Past tense of "disrupt" — interrupted the normal flow or order of something.

disrupting

verb

Present participle of "disrupt" — currently breaking up the normal flow or order of something.

disruption

noun

A break in the normal flow, order, or continuity of something.

disruptive

adj

Causing trouble, disorder, or interruption to normal activity.

diss

verb

To insult someone or show them disrespect, especially through words.

dissatisfaction

noun

A feeling of unhappiness or discontent because something did not meet expectations.

dissatisfied

adj

Not pleased or content; disappointed with how something turned out.

dissatisfy

verb

To fail to satisfy; to displease.

dissect

verb

To cut open a body, plant, or organism to examine its internal structure.

dissected

verb

Past tense of "dissect" — cut something apart to examine its structure.

dissecting

verb

Present participle of "dissect" — cutting something apart to examine its parts.

dissection

noun

The act of cutting something open to examine its parts.

dissemble

verb

To disguise or conceal something.

dissembling

noun

The action of the verb dissemble

disseminate

verb

To sow and scatter principles, ideas, opinions, etc, or concrete things, for growth and propagation, like seeds.

disseminated

adj

spread around; widespread

dissemination

noun

The act of disseminating, or the state of being disseminated; diffusion for propagation and permanence; a scattering or spreading abroad, as of ideas, beliefs, etc.

dissension

noun

Strong disagreement or conflict, especially within a group.

dissensus

noun

Disagreement, especially when widespread.

dissent

verb

To disagree, especially with an official view or decision.

dissenter

noun

Someone who dissents (disagrees), especially from an established church.

dissertation

noun

A long, formal piece of writing on a specific subject, usually required to complete an advanced degree.

disservice

noun

An action that causes harm, especially one that was meant or expected to help.

dissever

verb

To separate (two or more things); to split apart (something).

disseverance

noun

The act of dissevering; separation.

dissident

noun

A person who openly opposes a government or political system they live under.

dissimilar

adj

Not alike; different in nature or appearance.

dissimilarity

noun

A lack of similarity or a lack of likeness in appearance to something else.

dissimilarly

adv

In a dissimilar way; differently.

dissimilation

noun

The act of dissimilating, of making dissimilar.

dissimulation

noun

The act of concealing the truth; hypocrisy or deception.

dissing

verb

Present participle of "dis" — insulting or showing disrespect toward someone.

dissipate

verb

To gradually scatter or disappear.

dissipated

verb

Past tense of "dissipate" — scattered and gradually disappeared.

dissipation

noun

The act of dissipating or dispersing; a state of dispersion or separation; dispersion; waste.

dissociate

verb

In psychology, to become mentally detached from your thoughts, feelings, body or surroundings, so that experience feels unreal or distant. It often happens under stress or trauma.

dissociation

noun

The act of dissociating or disuniting; a state of separation; disunion.

dissociative

adj

Relating to a mental state or condition in which thoughts, feelings, or identity become disconnected from one another.

dissoluteness

noun

Lack of restraint; excess.

dissolution

noun

The formal ending of an organization, agreement, or assembly.

dissolvability

noun

Capacity of being dissolved; the state of being dissolvable

dissolve

verb

To mix completely into a liquid so as to become part of the solution.

dissolved

verb

Past tense of "dissolve" — became mixed completely into a liquid, or came to an end.

dissolvent

adj

Capable of dissolution into a fluid.

dissolver

noun

One who, or that which, dissolves or dissipates.

dissolving

verb

Present participle of "dissolve" — mixing completely into a liquid, or breaking apart/ending.

dissonance

noun

A harsh or unpleasant combination of sounds; lack of musical harmony.

dissuade

verb

To persuade someone not to do something.

dissuasion

noun

the act or an instance of dissuading

dissympathy

noun

Lack of sympathy; indifference.

distaff

noun

A device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) is attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (as indicated by the etymology of the word), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

distal

adj

Located far from the point of attachment or origin, especially in anatomy.

distance

noun

The amount of space between two points or places.

distant

adj

Far away in space or time.

distantly

adv

In a way that shows physical or relational separation.

distaste

noun

A feeling of dislike or aversion toward something.

distasteful

adj

Unpleasant, offensive, or unappealing to one's sense of taste or propriety.

distemper

noun

A viral disease of animals, such as dogs and cats, characterised by fever, coughing and catarrh.

distend

verb

To extend or expand, as from internal pressure; to swell

distended

adj

Swollen or stretched out, especially from internal pressure.

distich

noun

A couplet, a two-line stanza making complete sense.

distil

verb

To exude (a liquid) in small drops; also, to give off (a vapour) which condenses in small drops.

distill

verb

US standard spelling of distil.

distillation

noun

The act of falling in drops, or the act of pouring out in drops.

distilled

adj

Purified or concentrated through the process of distillation.

distillery

noun

A facility where alcoholic spirits are produced through distillation.

distinct

adj

Clearly different or separate from something else.

distinction

noun

A difference or contrast between two things.

distinctive

adj

Serving to mark something as different or recognizable; characteristic.

distinctively

adv

In a distinctive manner; in a way that is notable for its difference.

distinctiveness

noun

The quality of being distinctive, individual or discrete.

distinctly

adverb

In a way that is clear and easy to make out; unmistakably.

distinctness

noun

The property or degree of being distinct.

distinguish

verb

To recognize the difference between two or more things.

distinguishable

adj

Able, or easily able to be distinguished.

distinguished

adjective

Well-known and respected because of notable achievements.

distinguishing

adjective

Serving to mark something as different from others.

distort

verb

To twist something out of its normal shape.

distorted

adjective

Twisted out of its normal or natural shape.

distorting

adjective

Having the effect of twisting something out of shape or misrepresenting it.

distortion

noun

A change that twists something out of its normal shape or meaning.

distract

verb

To pull someone's attention away from what they should be focusing on.

distracted

adjective

Unable to concentrate because attention is pulled elsewhere.